Catalan pride and moderniste design

How do people possibly just visit Barcelona for a day or two? We're spending five nights, and it's just not enough. Everything I see makes me want to see more, and spend more time (and money...) here. The atmosphere is lovely, very relaxed (although this might be due to the huge numbers of tourists, who, being on holiday, are generally relaxed!) and the city is so very walkable.

The thing that most people probably know about in Barcelona is Gaudi- and so they should, he is amazing. The next thing they might think of is Dali or Picasso, who both spent time painting here. It seems odd at first that an area would produce three such surrealist creators in different periods of time, but this is linked to the Catalan pride. Catalunya has long seen itself as a distinct area (since the twelfth century), and has been fiercely proud of its language, culture and sense of self. Despite numerous attempts to repress or dispel Catalunya as an autonomous area, the pride of this area means that it refuses to lie down.

Signs in Catalunya are all in Catalan (generally with a Spanish version, and often an English translation too), even though public use of Catalan has been outlawed or seriously frowned upon at three separate points in the last century. Catalonians see their language as integral to their
regional identity.

This pride in Catalonian identity also goes some way to explaining the public celebration of artists and architects such as Gaudi, as they were practicing at time when the Catlonian nationalist movements were particularly strong. It also means that public works, which in many cities may have fallen into disrepair, or have been altered, are preserved in glorious condition and proudly displayed.

Gaudi falls into a group of architects practicing 'moderniste' design, known elsewhere as Art Nouveau. Gaudi embraces many of the ideals of Art Nouveau: that all items should be of use to humanity (meaning that design principles are enhanced to make items and places more people friendly); that functional items should still be beautiful; and beautification which has is primarily inspired by the natural world. Gaudi's work includes a lot of colour, and often ¡curved, organic lines which make some of his works appear very odd form the outside, but inside create a sinuous, comforting space.

I have fallen utterly in love with Gaudi's work. It is almost fairy-tale: the Casa Battlo reminds me of a witch's house with it's unusual colours, crooked roof and balustrades reminiscent of bones. But having visited the inside of La Pedrera and seen the result of his design, I can see how his ideas make so much sense, and create a beautiful living space. Gaudi focuses strongly on light and a feeling of space, created through large doorways between rooms fitted with sliding doors which are designed to remain open most of the time, light wells strategically positioned in apartment blocks, and curving walls which trick the eye and encourage non-traditional arrangement of room fittings.

Other than this, I've checked out other moderniste buildings (also beautiful, although not as strikingly original as Gaudi's work), wandered the Gothic Quarter and the ports, learned about Catlunyan history, visited fabulous markets and watched a very passionate protest. I still want to visit Picasso and Dali artworks, a museum of sacred art, more of Gaudi's works (Sagrada Familia, Palau Gruell, Parc Gruell), visit Montjuic Parc and Parc Cituidade and a whole lot more. I can guarantee I won't get to it all. Which means I can guarantee I'll be back in Barcelona at some time.

I think what I like about Barcelona is similar to what I like about Lisbon- it seems to embrace difference rather than stamp it out. Spanish conquest generally seems to be about exploiting a country and enforcing a Spanish culture onto it- almost a 'We Woz Ere' sign. Barcelona has certainly profited from the American colonies, and had it's share of conquest attempts of neighbouring regions. But due to its economic and industrial success, it has also seen many emigrants arrive. These emigrants often find themselves swept up in Catalunyan culture, and campaigning for a Catalunyan autonomy as strongly as Catlunyan natives.

I'm finding myself swept up in Catalunyan culture already- last night I dreamed about Gaudi. In fact, I dreamed I was performing music on a cardboard tube as a didgeridoo. It was a basis for a thesis I wanted to write comparing my work to Gaudi's, and arguing that beauty and creativity from unusual sources should be celebrated. After all, a teacher of Gaudi's commented at the time of his graduation that he didn't know whether Gaudi was a genius or a madman. While time may have proven his work extraordinary, somehow I don't think the cardboard didgeridoo will take off...